Coin return amusement device



`M.a y19,v 1 970 n i n D. B. POYNTER 3,512,298

` COIN RETURN Auffusmymnl DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July :17, 1968 56./A/VE/W'O DONALD B. POYNTER y May 1.9, 1970` j D. B. POYNTER D 3,512,298

COIN RETURN AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Jly 17. 1968 l 2 Sheets-Sheet -2 /A/VE'IVTOR DONALD B.A POYNTER United States Patent O Y 3,512,298 COIN RETURN AMUSEMENT DEVICE Donald B. Poynter, 7 Arcadia Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45208 Filed July 17, 1968, Ser. No. 745,557

Int'. Cl. A63h 33/00 U.S. Cl. 46-3 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The box-like housing includes a normally closed lid, and an adjacent coin slot, giving the impression that the device is a coin saving bank; but upon deposit of a coin therein, a motor-driven mechanism including a miniature human hand throws the coin back to the depositor, so that under no circumstances will the device keep a coin given to it, regardless of the value of the coin. The mechanism may include means causing the box-like housing to perform interesting gyratons during a brief period of coin retention.

The present invention relates to la coin return amusement device.

An object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in the form of an apparent depository or savings bank for coins, which invariably throws back to the depositor any and all coins deposited therein, regardless of the value of such coins. That is to say, the depository or savings bank cannot be prevailed upon to keep any coins offered to it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character stated, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, so that it may be sold at a reasonable price.

The foregoing and other objectsare attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the device of the in;

I vention, at the moment of coin deposit.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing :an early stage of operation at which a coin is temporarily accepted, in readiness for throw-back to the depositor. Y

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device in the inoperative or normal starting position, with the lid removed.

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3, with the lid in place.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing the device in normal starting position.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the parts in an initial stage of operation, before raising of the lid.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7, showing the parts n an advanced stage of operation, with the lid open.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8, showing the parts in a iinal stage of operation at which a coin is thrown hack to the depositor.

FIG. 10 is a wiring diagram for the electrical elements of the apparatus.

The device of the present invention is patterned in a general way, on the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,243,914, granted to D. B. Poynter on Apr. 5, 1966, although in its mode of operation and iinal purpose, the device of the present invention is very different notwithstanding an apparent similarity.

The device comprises a cubic box-like housing 12 having a top wall 14, a bottom wall 16, end rwalls 18 and 20, and appropriate side walls spanning the end walls. A portion of the top wall is constituted of a lid 22 pivoted at 24 upon the side walls of the housing. The lid normally is held closed by a tension spring 26, FIG. 4.

ice

A gear box 28 is mounted upon the bottom wall 16 of housing 12, and includes a small electric motor 30 having a drive shaft 32 in driving relation with a reduction gear train 33. The gear train terminates in a slowly rotated cam shaft 34. The electric motor 30 may be powered by a pair of dry cells 36, 36 located within housing 12, upon closing of the motor circuit.

The gear box or some other stationary member of the device, supports a pivot stud 38 which may be a iixed stud extended horizontally from la side of the gear box. Upon stud 38 is pivotally mounted a cam follower 40, which may be substantially triangular in shape as shown, though not necessarily so shaped, and upon this cam follower is iixedly mounted a catapult arm 42 having at one end thereof a section or extension simulating a human hand 44 which preferably is Ipivoted to the arm 42 at a Wrist joint 46. The hand is capable of pivotal movement at 46 according to FIGS. 2 and 9, as depicted by full and dotted lines. Normally, the hand or catapult section 44 is in substantial alignment with arm 42, according to FIG. 4.

The simulated human hand 44 may be a molded shape lof plastic, or relatively hard rubber or the like, and along the length of the hand between the wrist and the palm is formed a straight groove or track 48 (FIG. 3), in which an edge of a circular coin may roll to a position at the palm of the hand. A second straight groove or track 50 (FIG. 3), formed in the catapult arm 42, is aligned with groove 48 so that a coin rolling along groove 50 |will enter groove 48 for transfer to the palm of the hand.

Upon that end of arm 42 which is adjacent to pivot 38, isa pivot 52 which supports a tiltable carrier or block 54 carrying a pair of electric contactors '56, 56. When the device is in the normally inoperative position of FIG. 4, the contactors 56 are disposed beneath a coin slot 58 formed in top wall 14, so that a metallic coin C deposited in slot 58 will span the contactors to close the circuit of motor 30 according to FIG. 10, as will be explained in greater detail later.

The coin C initially inserted in slot 58 according to FIG. 4, will electrically span the contactors 56, 56, and then the carrier 54 will tilt about pivot 52 to dump the coin onto arm 42 and into the groove 50 thereof. The initial closing of contactors 56, 56 completes the circuit through conductors 60, 62, and motor 30, to start the motor. The motor rotates a metallic contact disc 64 on cam shaft 34. Disc 64 includes an insulator 66 embedded in the periphery of the disc, and the insulator and the metallic periphery of the disc are lwiped by a contact arm 68 which is normally pressed toward the disc periphery. In the inoperative condition of the apparatus, arm 68 is stopped on the insulator 66.

' As soon as motor 30 is started by reason of a coin closing the motor circuit at 56, 56, disc 64 will be driven to displace the insulator 66 and establish a holding circuit through the disc and conductors 68, 70, 62, thereby to keep motor 30 energized throughout one full rotation of disc 64. At one full rotation of the disc, insulator 66 will pass under contact arm 68 to break the motor circuit, thereby placing the apparatus in condition for a subsequent operation. l

In addition to catapult arm 42, the pivot or stud 38 carries a pivotal lever 72 which may move in a vertical plane to strike lan abutment 74 on the inside of lid 22, for lifting said lid about pivot 24 against the resistance of spring 26. Lever 72 carries a cam follower 76 which rides upon the peripheral edge of a cam 78 fixed upon cam shaft 34. Cam 78 is so shaped as to effect lifting of the lid 22 shortlyafter coin C leaves the contactors 56, 56 and begins to roll toward the palm of hand 44. The cam 78 may be shaped to 'hold the lid open continuously until the hand 44 throws the coin a-t the depositor, or if desired, said cam may effect momentary closing 3 of the lid while the hand is lowered into the housing, followed by a second raising of the lid before the coin throw occurs. This is a matter of shaping cam 78 to perform according to either of the sequences mentioned above.

A second cam 80 fixed on cam shaft 34, imparts motion to the arm and hand assembly, through the agency of cam follower 40. The starting position of follower 40 on the peripheral track of cam 80, is shown by FIG. 7. Upon clockwise rotation of cam 80, FIG. 7, the follower 40 will gradually be elevated as in FIG. 8, to lower the catapult arm 42 about pivot 38, causing coin C to roll to the palm of hand 44. At approximately the same time, cam 78 will act upon follower 76 to elevate arm 72 and lid 22.

Follower 40 is now on the high point 82 of cam 80. Upon further rotation of cam 80 in clockwise direction, follower 40 will drop abruptly into the notch 84 of cam 80 according to FIG.9, the drop being aided by a spring 86 best shown in FIG. 6. The spring is coiled yabout pivot or shaft 38, and has its legs 88 and 90 under stress anchored, respectively, upon catapult arm 42, and upon a stationary part of the structure at 92. The abrupt drop of the follower to the FIG. 9 position flips the arm 42 upwardly, and by the force of inertia, hand 44 flips forwardly to the broken line position of FIG. 9, to throw coin C back to the depositor.

Upon further rotation of the cams 78 and 80', the followers 40 and 76 will be moved to return to the FIG. 7 position the lid-opening lever 72 and the catapult arm 42, this being the starting position for the apparatus. In the starting position, the circuit condition of FIG. l prevails, :with the motor circuit broken at insulator 66. The lid of course is closed, but does not interfere with insertion of a coin into slot 58.

To enhance the amusement effect, the device may be provided with means for shaking or rocking the box-like housing after insertion of a coin into slot 58. Such means is best illustrated by FIG. 5, wherein 94 indicates a rocker pivoted upon a stationary pin 96 for rocking movement induced by a cam 98. C-am 98 is fixed upon cam shaft 34, and has an undulatory peripheral cam track against which the follower end 100i of rocker 94 may bear when the foot 102 of the rocker is resting upon a table top or other surface supporting the device. Cam 98 operates to press foot 102 against a supporting surface repeatedly during operation of the driving motor, for rocking the box-like housing.

The reference characters 104 and 106 indicate small stationary sheets of cardboard or the like flanking the hand 44 and arm 42, and overlying most of the mechanical elements within the box-like housing, thereby to conceal most of the operating mechanism as the lid 22 is raised during operation of the device.

Housing 12 may be formed of any material suitable for forming a box, including plastics, metal, hardboard, or combinations thereof. The catapult section 44 may be a simulated human hand or foot, or a corresponding extremity of a lower animal.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in structural details of the device may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin return amusement device comprising: a boxlike housing which includes a coin slot receptive of a coin placed therein by a depositor; catapult means for throwing the coin back to the depositor within the housing for receiving the coin after deposit in the coin slot; motor driven means conditioning the catapult means for throwing the coin back to the depositor and means between said coin slot and catapult means for moving the coin to said catapult means and actuating said motor driven means upon deposit of the coin.

2. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the coin slot and the catapult means are receptive of coins of various denominations.

3. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the catapult means is in the form of la simulated human hand or foot.

4. The device as specified by claim l1, wherein the catapult means is in the form of an animal extremity corresponding to the hand or foot of a human.

5. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the boxlike housing includes a displaceable lid; and means is provided for temporarily displacing said lid during the coin throw-back.

6. The device as specified by claim 1, wherein the device includes means for imparting gyrations to the `boxlike housing following a coin deposit.

7. The device as specified by claim 5, wherein the catapult means is in the form of a simulated animal extremity.

8. The device as specified by claim 7,` wherein the device includes means for imparting gyrations to the boxlike housing following a coin deposit.

9. The device as specified by claim 8, wherein said motor driven means is electrically powered; and said actuating means is responsive to deposit of a metallic coin for energizing said motor driven means.

10. A coin return amusement device comprising in combination: a box-like housing having an open top, and a coin slot for the reception ofmetallic coins; a gear box fixed within the housing and including a speed-reducing gear train terminating in a rotary cam shaft; an electric motor in driving relation with said gear train and rotary cam shaft; electric circuit means including said motor, a pair of normally open contacts, and a source of electric current, for energizing said motor upon closing of said contacts; a horizontal pivot member fixed relative to said gear box; a catapult arm supported for rocking movement upon said pivot member, said arm having opposite end portions and an intermediate coin-receptive groove extending lengthwise of the arm, said groove being receptive of coins fed into the coin slot; a catapult arm extension pivoted upon one end portion of said arm, and having formed therein a groove aligned with the firstmentioned groove to receive a coin advanced along said first-mentioned groove; means including the motor and a cam on said cam shaft, for inclining the catapult arm and its extension in one direction about said pivot member to induce gravitation of a coin from the groove of the catapult arm into the groove of said arm extension, and for suddenly reversing the inclination of the catapult arm and its extension, to throw the coin from the groove of said arm extension; Imeans supporting the electric contacts in position to be spanned by a coin inserted in the coin slot for closing the .motor circuit; and means for maintaining a closed condition of said circuit during substantially a full rotation of the cam shaft.

11. The'device as specified by claim 10, wherein is included a displaceable lid normally covering the open top of the box-like housing; and means operative during energization of the electric motor, for temporarily displacing the lid to remove said lid from the path of throw of said coin.

12. The device as specified by claim 11, wherein is included means for imparting gyrations to the box-like housing following a coin deposit.

13. The device as specified by claim 10, wherein the coin slot and the catapult arm and extension grooves are receptive of coins of various denominations.

14. The device as specified iby claim 10, wherein the catapult arm extension is in the form of a simulated animal extremity.

15. The device as specified Iby claim 13, wherein the catapult arm extension is in the form of a simulated human hand or foot.

16. The device as specified by claim 14, wherein is included means for imparting gyrations to the box-like housing following a coin deposit.

17. The device as specified by claim 16, wherein is included a displaceable lid normally covering the open top of the box-like housing; and means operative during energization of the electric motor, for temporarily displacing the lid to remove said lid from the path of throw of said coin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS E. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner J. W. MITCHELL, Assistant Examiner 

